Dump bailer



- July 28", 1959 w. E. BARNES DUMP BAILER Filed May 10, 1956 INVEN TOR.WILLIAM E. BARNES ATTORNEY United States Patent C DUMP BAILER William E.Barnes, Beaumont, Tex., assignor to Sun Oil Company, Philadelphia, Pa.,a corporation of New Jersey Application May 10, 1956, Serial No. 583,968

Claims. (Cl. 166-162) This invention relates, generally, to dump bailersfor use in oil and other deep wells, and specifically to thevalveoperating mechanism of such devices which controls the release ofthe bailer contents.

Dump bailers, as distinct from similar devices used as samplingmechanisms operating in reverse order, are

required to carry material into the well for purposes assisting in theproduction of petroleum at the earths surface. The material sointroduced is generally of an inhibiting nature to reduce corrosion oftubing and tools. Administration of such material from the earthssurface, although used as one means for treating wells, leaves doubts asto proper placement and effectiveness.

Similar devices presently used in this field have not satisfactorilysolved these problems, and have raised additional questions. The matterof discharging the contents of the bailer positively and completely at aselected elevation, in the well or on bottom hole contact, requirescontrolled operation of the valve portion of the mechanism. A valve,normally positioned in the bailer bottom either as a separate section,or as part of the complete bailer, must be either closed or open in anystage of operation. A fluctuating operation of the valve mechanism willdispense the contents at improper elevations in the well, or shut offthe flow before the charge hasbeen administered.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide an improved dumpbailer which will retain the contents until released by a valvemechanism, and then so operate the valve as to insure complete dischargeof the contents;

Controlled use of the bailer contents in the well is closely associatedwith the preparation of the bailer to administer the charge. Measuredfilling of the bailer and the ease with which this is accomplished areto be considered. It is not always feasible to fill a bailer through atop opening as the size of such an opening may be re stricted because ofspecial usage. Where the device is used in a well with well fluidscovering the areas to be treated, it is necessary to reduce the bailertop opening to vents which assist the flow of the liquid contents fromthe bailer by admitting balancing pressures yet prevents displacement oftreating liquids by inrushing well fluids. In this type of bailer,having restricted top openings, filling with measured quantities ofliquid becomes a major problem.

It is, therefore, a further object of this invention to provide animproved dump bailer for general use which is easily filled with theselected liquid contents in proper measured amounts without dismantlingthe device.

And yet a further object of this invention is to provide a dump bailerbottom for use with any conventional bailer body through which the abovecited objects of controlled operation in both emptying and filling areobtained. 1

In carrying out these and other objects evident as the descriptionproceeds, the invention is described in the accompanying specificationin reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

accompanying drawing where a conventional bailer is indicated with amodified top and bottom designed to meet the objects of this inventionas described. A top closure 10, apertured as at 12 to communicate withthe interior chamber 13 of the bailer 14, forms a wire line connector bymeans of a top aperture 16. Such a connection is suggested in Figure IVas a threaded thimble apertured to pass the Wire line through the closedend and forming a keeper for an enlarged end of the line which usuallytakesthe form of a lump of metal or a knot in the line. As isevidentthis top closure 10 takes the place of a bail or like handle devicenormally attached to an open container like a bucket, and adapts theconventional bailer for use in liquid filled wells.

To the bottomof'the bailer 14, -a plug 18, apertured longitudinally at20 to receive slidable tubular valve member 22, is connected. The valveseat 24 isformed by counterboring the upper portion of aperture 20 toreceive the flanged endof valve member 22. An' 0' ring 26 peripherallyengages the flanged end-of the valve member 24 for sealing contactwith.valve seat 24, thus completing valve head 21. Apertures 2'7-radially extend from the valve seat counterbore 24 to theexternalperiphery of the plug 18 for discharge of the liquid contents of thebailer 14 during operation.

As the valve member 22 is fashioned from tubular material, the aperture28 through the length of the valve member forms a passage connecting thebailer chamber 13 with the exterior through the valve. To seal thechamber and keep the liquid contents carried therein from escapingthrough the valve opening, a pressure re sponsive closure 32, shown hereas a ball 34 with resilient pressure means or spring 36, closes theaperture'ZB. A

split ring 37 against which spring 36-abuts, expands to fit into aperipheral groove to. position the spring-in coinpression as indicatedin Figure 2. This internal sealing means, as distinguished from theexternal sealing means ber 13 as laterdescribed, and also' furnishessufficient body to connect means for the filling operation; Shown 1 as apart of Figure 1, asource of treating liquid 40'is indicated connectedto a pumping means 42 by which a supply is forced through hose 44. Aconnector 46 is threaded to. engage flange 38 of the tubularvalve member22 forming the supply path of the treatingliquid from source 49 tochamber 13 of bailer 14. y

Once the charge of liquid is transferred to the bailer, the hose"connector 46 is disengaged. A plug 50 is shown in Figure 2 as threadedinto flange 38 to keep the internal threaded portion of the flange freeof dirt to readily. receive" the hose connector 46. By means of theexternal seal 26" engaging valve seat 24, and the internal sealing means32 seated by, force of the liquid in chamber.1 3

and spring snor ing ball 34 into the closedposition,

Figure 1.

In both Figures 1 and 2, referred to above for description of otherelements of the Combination, means for positively holding the valvemember 22 in both closed and open positions relative to the plug 18 isshown. Latch means shown as detent 52 comprising a ball 54 with shoulderportion 55 for guiding and support purposes, pressed continuously byspring 56 into a groove 58 in the shank portion oftubular valve member22 at a selected posi tion between upper and lower flange 21 and 38respectively, holds the valve in closed position (Fi 1). As shown, thislatching means is set into plug 18 through hole 60 drilled to receiveit, and tapped for a set screw 62 at the outer plug surface. This setscrew can be ad vanced or withdrawn to increase or decrease the pressureof spring 56 as required for proper action.

Reference to Figure 2 in which the valve is open, and held in thatposition by the elements described, will be easily understood. The valveis lifted by contact with the well bottom and is urged beyond therestraint of the latch means 52, and slides'into locking engagement inthe second or lower groove 64. On reaching this engagement the latchholds the valve member in the open position to discharge the bailercontents as explained in the operation of the device which follows.

The operation of the device, to those versed in the art, will be evidentfrom the figures of the drawing and the detailed description of theelements given above, without further discussion. However, to clarifyany questions relative to cooperation of the several elements and toemphasize the improvement in the art as embodied in this device, adescription of operation will be given. 7

Preparation of the device for operation is indicated in Figure 1. Bygrasping the lower flange 38 of the tubular valve member 22 and pullingit downwardly as far as it will go, the valve head 21 is seated in theseat portion 24 of plug 18 with the O ring sealably engaging the same.

The latch engages the upper groove, locking the valve in closedposition. With the bailer held in vertical position as by the wire linesuspended in the derrick structure (not shown), the liquid charge sourceis connected as shown in Figure land the desired amount of liquid isforced into the bailer chamber 13. The pressure responsive sealing means32 passes the liquid and closes in internal sealing engagement with theaperture shoulders,

as shown, when the pressure is removed. Once charged with liquid, thehose is disconnected, and the plug 50, if desired, is inserted'to closethe valve aperture 28 and act as a striker to operate the device. Thebailer is then lowered into the well.

Contact of valve member 22 with the bottom of the well moves the valvemember upward relative to the plug 18, depressing the spring pressedlatch means as the upper groove slides over the ball 54. It will beunderstood that the force on the valve required to release the contentsof the bailer is required to be great enough to overcome both therestraining effect of the latch and the pressure of the liquid on thevalve. Accidental bumping on the side of the well, liquid or gaspressure contacted during the descent, will not be of suflicient forceto open the valve.

Under action of contact with the bottom of the well, the valve membermoves upwardly until the latch moves into the second, or lower, grooveon the valve member where it engages, holding the valve open. The spacebetween the grooves is substantially the distance the lower flangeextends beyond the bottom of the plug. In this 'way the action ofunlatching and latching is made certain'and no possibility of the valvemember Slldll'lg beyond the latched open position is allowed.

With the valve held in the open position by the springpress ed ballengaging thelower groove'64, the liquid contents of the bailer passdownwardly around the valve head 21 into the enlarged valve seataperture and escape from the bailer through the apertures 27. The valveis held in the open position until re-set in the closed post.

tion as described at the beginning of the description of operation. Byadmitting pressure above the liquid charge in the bailer body throughapertures 12 provided i the wire line connection on the top of thebailer, the liquid charge is caused to flow freely from the chamber.This is true in either liquid or gas-filled Wells, or in dry holes,Where air will displace the charge through apertures 12.

I claim: 7 a

1. A dump bailer bottom comprising a longitudinally apertured plughaving means for connection with a bailer, a valve seat in the apertureof said plug transversely apertured to release the dump bailer contents,a slidable valve member in the plug aperture positioned to sealablyengage the valve seat and extend through the plug, said valve memberbeing longitudinally apertured to form a passageway therethrough, apressure responsive valve means in said passageway, and latch means inthe plug engageable' with the slidable valve member in closed and openpositions.

2. A-dump bailer bottom comprising a longitudinally apertured plughaving means for connection with a bailer and having a transverselyapertured valve seat therein, tubular valve means longitudinallyslidable in said aper tured plug and extending therethrough, seal meansexternally of the tubular valve means operably engaging thevalve seat ofthe plug in the closed position, pressure re-- sponsive sealing meansnormally closing the internal opening in the tubular valve means, springpressed latching means releasably engaging the tubular valve means inclosed and open positions, and means to receive fluid for filling thebailer through the projecting portion of the tubular valve'means.

3. A dump bailer bottom comprising a longitudinally apertured plughaving means for connection with a bailer,

a valve seat formed in the longitudinal aperture and radially aperturedto vent the bailer, a tubular valve member extending through the plugand longitudinally slidable in the plug aperture being adapted tosealably engage the valve seat at the upper end thereof, resilientclosing means inside the tubular valve member responsive to pressures,spring pressed latching means in said plug releasably engaging thetubular valve member holding said member in Iclosed and open positionsrelative to the valve seat, and means in the projecting end of'saidtubular valve member to receive fluid to fill the bailer.

4. A dump bailer for use in well holes comprising a tubular body havingmeans for connection with a wire line on the top and a' valve means onthe bottom, said valve means including a longitudinally apertured plughaving a valve seat in said aperture at the tubular body engaging endwith radially extending apertures to vent the tubular body, a tubularvalve member extending through the longitudinally apertured plug andslidable into well boreholes comprising an elongate body providing aninterior chamber to carry said treating material, a

wire line connecter fastened to the top of the body havingapertur estherethrough to transmit well pressure to the interior chamber, a bottomclosure on said body longitudinally apertured for the passage of thetreating material, a tubular valve/member extending through thelongitudinal aperture of the bottom closure and slidable relativethereto, a'seal ring on the valve member positioned to sealably engagethe bottom closure aperture externally of the. tubular valve member,spring pressed closure means internally sealing the tubular valvemember, spring 5 6 pressed latching means in the bottom closurereleasably References cit d i the file f this patent engaging thetubular valve Inember in the open or closed UNITED STATES PATENTSpos1t1on relative to the mte1 :or chamber, and connecting means on theportion of the tubular valve projecting from 2,170,355 Stephens 1939 thebottom closure adapted to receive treating material 5 2,322,425 DempseyJ1me 1943 for transmission through the valve to the chamber. 2,577,068Baker 136% 4, 1951 2,686,566 Barnes Aug. 17, 1954

